Rock Creek wears the valley crown this week, and not by default. It runs a full ten degrees cooler than the lower Bitterroot at midday, and the pocket water keeps fish oxygenated and eating.

Rock Creek has dropped into prime wading flows, wade only, with good clarity that puts a premium on a drag-free drift. Fish it early, and take crossings seriously.

The creek dropped hard off last week’s rain and is settling into prime wading flows, though it is still swift enough that you cannot hop across it and the streambed gets slippery in late summer, so take crossings seriously. Clarity is good, which puts a premium on a drag-free drift.

Rock Creek is dropping back toward a friendly wading level (float ban in effect since July 1), with Green Drakes and PMDs owning the afternoons.

Rock Creek is wade fishing only as of July 1 and came up hard with the rain, running much bigger than the skinny late-June stretch. Golden Stones are past peak but still the main big dry as the focus shifts to PMDs, Green Drakes, Yellow Sallies, and caddis.

Rock Creek is in absolutely stellar shape, with flows dropped into an optimal range and the Golden Stone hatch firing. Prime wade water right now.

In stellar shape. Flows have dropped into an optimal range near Clinton and the Golden Stone hatch is firing.

Rock Creek is in absolutely stellar shape. Flows have dropped into an optimal, fishable range and the Golden Stone hatch is firing.

Rock Creek is dropping into beautiful, stable shape and the fishing is great, one of the best dry-fly options in the region.

Rock Creek is dropping into beautiful, stable shape and the fishing is great, one of the best dry-fly options in the region. The Salmonfly hatch is just about wrapped up with leftovers in the upper sections; the main focus has turned to Golden Stones, which are in full swing on the lower and middle creek.

Dropping into beautiful, stable shape with good clarity, mid-day water temp around 55°F, running near 927 CFS at Clinton. Wading is becoming more realistic, but the creek still has push in the main channel and is getting bony for floating in spots.

Dropping into beautiful, stable shape, mid-day water temp in the low-to-mid 50s, around 1,320 CFS near Clinton. Some of the best fishing of the year is on tap.

The salmonfly madness has resumed: a 5/5 rating, the bulk of the hatch in the upper half of the creek, and great catches reported. Get in on it before it’s too late.

All four rivers are dropping out of last week's rain-driven blowout and the trend is positive everywhere. Rock Creek is the headline: salmonflies are on the water and Grizzly Hackle rates it 5/5.

Last week's heavy rain and high temps bumped Rock Creek up hard; the creek has since dropped and the salmonfly fishing has come right back.

Last week's heavy rain and high temps bumped Rock Creek up a lot; now the creek has dropped and the salmonfly fishing has come right back.

The salmonfly madness has resumed. Last week's weather bumped the creek up a lot; now it has dropped and the salmonflies are the story, with the bulk of the hatch now in the upper half of the creek.

Rock Creek is shaping up in a much better direction. Flows have dropped about 1,000 CFS in the last few days and continue to trend down — exactly what the creek needs this time of year.

Rock Creek is running high, cold, and technical. The Clinton gauge sat around 2,020 CFS (Lightweight, 5/31) — high and pushy bank to bank.

Runoff is back across the region after another warm push. The Bitterroot is the most fishable mainstem; Salmonflies have arrived on lower Rock Creek but high, off-color water is throttling the dry-fly bite everywhere.